On 21 May 1951, the United States Air Force established the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) as a field activity of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, HQ USAF. Charged with the intelligence assessment of Soviet military aerospace systems during an era of rapid arms buildup and technological change, ATIC played a significant role in the formulation of defense strategy and national security policy. From 1951 to 1961, the Center more than doubled its manpower; meanwhile, the Air Force grew by slightly more than 4 percent. This trend reflected the growing mission of ATIC and the importance attached to its work.1 On 1 July 1961, the organization was transferred to Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) and renamed the Foreign Technology Division (FTD).
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ATIC, The 1950s, and National Security Policy – by Bruce Ashcroft, NAIC Historian [17 Pages, 10.2MB]
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